Friday, August 31, 2012

Sometimes the things that keep us up late at night are more than dietary issues. An emotional hurt or pain, a disappointment, an attack, grief, a loss or the memory of a cruel injustice can sweep over us ruining more than one night’s sleep.

A young child wrote her experiences of wrestling with great agonies in the midnight hour. She wrote that when she cried out to God, she heard in response “Love covers all”. She began to pray asking God to cover all of her pain with the God kind of love that has the power to cover every issue. Then she mentally dug a deep grave. She buried the offense that had wounded her heart and covered it with dirt. Her testimony was that she covered the hole with green sod and planted white roses and forget-me-nots on top and walked away.

Restful sleep found her once again and the issues that wounded her so deeply healed without a scar. God’s love completely covered her pain.

Today in prayer, allow the love of God to cover every negative person, place or thing in your life. Bury it deep. Preach the eulogy. Pronounce the benediction and walk away. God’s love will bath you in its glory and grant you the peace to grow through troubling times. As the hymn writer sings: “When nothing else would help, love lifted me.”

“Love covers all wrongs”Proverbs 10:12

Let us pray:

Lord, I bury all of the people, places and things that have caused me grief into your love that has the power to cover all wrongs.

PRAYCATION 2012 –THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Beloved, it is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of our 31-day journey! It has been a joy. I pray that the experience has been a blessing. More than 7,000 people have prayed during our 31 day sojourn world-wide!!

It's not over, we've only just begun.

Weekly prayers will continue to be posted on this site beginning September 1, 2012. At other times, devotions by different authors will also be posted. Weekly audio messages will begin again on September 1st at www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com. Subscribe today and new messages will automatically come to your email inbox. Invite others to do the same. It's free!

The next prayer intensive will be the season of Advent, those precious days leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Please share your prayer experiences in the comment section on this site. If God has answered your prayers, please share your testimony. Also let me know if you will continue to practice your spiritual disciplines! The journey continues…

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Is there a sweet, sweet Spirit in your work, witness and worship? Invite the Holy Spirit into your life today. Listen for His promptings and urgings as to when it is time to pray, to be still, silent or speak in Jesus name. Ask Him to convict and comfort you as you breathe in the Spirit and are filled by the Spirit. Breathe in life. Breathe in peace. Breathe in joy. Breathe in the Spirit.

Try it now. Find a quiet place somewhere in your day. Breathe deeply. Breathe in life. Breathe out all dead things. Breathe in peace. Breathe out chaos. Breathe in joy. Breathe out pain. Breathe in love. Breathe out anger, arrogance and jealousy. Breathe in the Spirit.

As the Spirit fills you, you will be better prepared to embrace the gifts of the Spirit. You will find that anger, arrogance and jealousy do not stand a chance against goodness, kindness, patience and self-control.

Beloved, be led by the Spirit today. There is an incredible spiritual adventure waiting for you. Surrender to the Spirit of God. Ask Him to shut every door but the right one. Open every door to the opportunity prepared for you from the beginning of the universe. Trust the Holy Spirit to stop every step that is not of God and order the steps you are to take now. Listen for the Spirit to be the voice behind you telling you which way to go.

Live in the Spirit today. Create the opportunity in prayer to be more aware of His presence.

Sing in the Spirit today:

Holy Spirit, living Breath of God,Breathe new life into my willing soul.Bring the presence of the risen LordTo renew my heart and make me whole.Cause Your Word to come alive in me;Give me faith for what I cannot see;Give me passion for Your purity.Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me.

Holy Spirit, come abide within;May Your joy be seen in all I do—Love enough to cover ev’ry sinIn each thought and deed and attitude,Kindness to the greatest and the least,Gentleness that sows the path of peace.Turn my striving into works of grace.Breath of God, show Christ in all I do.

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend (2006)

“If we live in the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit. Let’s not become arrogant, make each other angry, or jealous of each other.”Galatians 5: 25-26

Let us pray:

Come Holy Spirit. I surrender all that I think, say and do today to You. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 –THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

If Praycation this month has been a blessing to you, please invite others to take the journey. Our 31-day sojourn may be coming to an end but weekly prayers and audio messages will begin again on September 1, 2012 at www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com. Weekly prayers will continue on this site.

If you started late, you can still catch up. Scroll down through the archives to continue your own personal praycation. If the Lord has blessed you, your family, ministry or congregation, be sure to let us know in the comment section.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Luggage is an important item for those who travel whether it is across the country or around the world. It carries what you hope is everything you will need for your journey.

I must confess that I have often traveled with too much luggage. I have tried to pack too much into too many small places. You never know if it will be colder or warmer than predicted. There could be extreme heat or a hurricane and just like the post office you still must deliver the mail.

There may be only one scheduled event but when you arrive you find out that it is actually two or three events. Sigh… and of course, who doesn’t like to have choices…right?

If you are flying now you have to pay for what you packed to go with you to your destination.

Confession number two: I have had carry-on luggage envy. There are people who are so organized that they can pack one week’s worth of clothes in carry-on luggage. There is a special place in heaven for them.

Let’s face it we all have excess baggage. We’re carrying around too much stuff and we’re paying for it. It's not costing us money but it is weighing us down physically and emotionally. What we really need to do is to get down to the carry-on level.

We pack so much into our daily lives. We carry around everything in case we must deliver under adverse circumstances. We fail to prioritize – that is saying no to carrying things that are not really our responsibility or saying no to carrying around other people's problems or worries and our own stress, regrets, grief, shame, or the sins that so easily beset us.

Our hands, minds and hearts are so filled with yesterday's issues and tomorrow's concerns that we fail to say yes to the best things that God has to offer today. We may also fail to recognize the season we’re in so we carry everything around with us for all seasons and sometimes the load gets too heavy to bear.

We keep adding more and more stuff to our luggage because we’re afraid of not having enough or not having what we need when we need it; or not having the right thing for the right occasion; or we have gotten so use to some stuff we just can’t let it go.

The most talented among us can pack all their issues into their luggage and carry them around both day and night. Stop the madness.

Put your hands up, drop the baggage and back away. It may be overwhelming to drop the luggage and carry it no more all at once. But at least strive to get to a carry-on level.

Try this. Matthew 6:34 therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Ok each day has enough for us to deal with without us carrying overweight luggage filled with the worries or troubles of yesterday, last week, last month or last year.

I had to learn how to plan and organize better for my cross-town and cross-country travels. Some things are best left at home or left out. Some things do not need to be apart the journey.

Whew, I’m down to carry-on luggage and getting better everyday. Every 24 hours has enough for us to deal without dragging yesterday’s issues and tomorrow’s worries in a set of suitcases everywhere we go. Lighten the load and enjoy your day.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

Let us pray:Lord, help me to let go and let you handle what happens today! In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 –THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Beloved, we have enough to deal with on a daily basis. Try not to carry around with you today what already happened, what may happen or what may not happen.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.Matthew 6: 34 (The Message Bible)

Someone you know needs to read this message and pray today’s Praycation simple sentence prayer. Send it to them!

Remember to do the steps of Praycation: Silence, Solitude, Submission, Service and Selah! Scroll down the archives on this site for more details. Subscribe. It's free!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How long O Lord, how long? In psalm 13, the poet cries how long not once but four times. It reminds us of the cry of the lonely, lost and left out. It reminds us of those who are waiting for answers that have not arrived, yet. It reminds us of those who are waiting for retribution or those who are waiting for a sudden reversal of tragic situations. How long O lord, do we have to endure seasons of insecurity and lack; how long do we have to put up with policies that castigate and praxis that defame the huddled masses yearning to breath free!

What then do we do when what we want or need we cannot get? What do we do when what needs to change seems perpetual? What do we do when we’re ready to move on but are caught between a rock and hard place?

Imagine with me what it is like to have a mind fertile with ideas that need to be born but the ideas at worse are aborted or at best still born; an imagination pregnant with the things of which dreams are made; a consciousness that has been cultivated with the sperm of visions; feet equipped for running; hands have been crafted for doing; your heart has been constructed for compassion and there is no one to love; your very being overflows with the gifts to nurture but nurture goes untried; your eyes dance with insight; your mouth is full of wisdom and your arms ache to hold the harvest of blessings that are yours. And like the subject of our text God is silent. All you want to do is to raise your voice and cry how long O lord, how long?

The psalmist then prayed consider and answer me O lord my God lighten my eyes. In other words, bring me back to life again, let there be a gleam in my eyes again. What began as an anxious cry ends as the psalmist realizes that God’s steadfast love will never let him go. I know that my trust is well placed in a God who loves me even though I feel lost between rocks and hard places. The poet begins Psalm 13 with a cry and ends with a song.

Have you ever done that been there in prayer? You start out with a cry and end up with a song. You start out anxious or troubled and end up shouting.

Today, pray your prayers trusting God that no matter what, the Lord loves you too much to let you go. The answer or solution hasn’t arrived yet. The operative word is yet! It’s coming. Hold on a little while longer!

"How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?"

Psalm 13: 1 (NKJV)

Let us pray:

Lord, help me to hold on just a little while longer! In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Beloved, I don’t know about you but there are times when the answers just do not come fast enough. It seems like God has forgotten all about us. The psalmist is trying to tell us that no matter what it looks like God can help you rise above your enemies. Nudge your neighbor and say hang in there. Lord, help us to hang in there!

Encourage someone today to hold on until the answer or solution arrives. Send this message to them or post it on your Face Book or Twitter pages.

Monday, August 27, 2012

When was the last time you did a little extra? A little extra these days can be difficult in our Google world of texting, scanning, skimming, retrieving, emailing, blogging, information-at-your-fingertip world. Oh, and this is on top of your regularly scheduled activities.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks about a little extra. If you have two coats give one away and if someone compels you to go one mile you go two – the extra mile.

The word “compel” carries with it the idea of “a readiness and willingness to submit to inconvenience or unreasonable demands.”

In context this has reference to the Roman army; if a Roman soldier demanded that a Jewish man carry his burden or equipment a mile, about 1000 paces, which was what the law specified, then Jesus said that he should carry it two miles.

But notice the wording that Jesus uses. He doesn’t say anything about a Roman soldier. He says, “and whosoever shall compel thee”. To you and I today this would mean, “If a teacher, supervisor, administrator, family member, loved one, friend, a neighbor” or a “co-worker” or a good doing “church member” would compel us to do a little extra something then we should do twice as much as they expect us to do.

Now if you are human, and we all are, many times when we are asked to the little extra, there maybe a little dragging of the feet, mumbling and murmuring, some resentment spread all over the task. After all we’re busy! Our agenda is already over crowded.

Going the extra mile may require a different attitude! Lord help!

Scripture tells us of another who was “compelled” as Jesus made his way to Golgotha: Matthew 27:32 "and as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross."

Simon had no choice but to carry the cross. However, Jesus infers that this extra mile thing will be up to our own volunteering efforts.

The extra mile will not be an enjoyable trip unless we do it as unto the lord.

Art Williams once said, “You beat 50% of the people in America by working hard; you beat 40% by being a person of honesty, integrity and standing for something; and the last 10% is a dogfight of the free enterprise system. If you want to win those dogfights you will have to learn do a little extra.”

In prayer today ask God what little extra should you do, when should you to do it, with whom, how and where. What would happen if you did a little extra before asked? Is it possible to do a little extra with a smile and a genuine desire to serve?

Whatever extra you do today, the trip will be more enjoyable if you do it for the Lord. Remember to do all to the glory of God today and everyday!

“And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
Matthew 5: 41

Let us pray:Lord, show me when, where and how to do a little extra today. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

It’s hard to believe that we are down to the last week of Praycation 2012. For those who are taking this journey for the first time, welcome! For the veterans, you know that these 31 days of prayer intensive may be coming to an end but our prayers and other spiritual disciplines will continue. Our regular weekly audio messages, which will begin again on September 1st.

If you need to catch up, just scroll down in the archive section on the home site in the “Read” section. Subscribe and new prayers or messages will automatically come in your email inbox. It’s free!

Share this message with your friends, family and church members. Do a little extra today and let me know how God crowned your efforts with success.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Every now and then God will send us a dream that we cannot shake. We wake up in the morning and the dream is right there shouting at us to respond. The dream may come in the middle of the night or it is a dream that comes to us in the day while praying, reading the scriptures or listening to the preached word. The dream may come tip toeing through the silence while we are listening for the still small voice of God to unravel the intricacies of the Kingdom.

There are at least 28 accounts of dreams in the Bible. They include the dreams of Solomon, the wise men, and Pilate’s wife on the eve of the crucifixion and Mary’s betrothed Joseph who was warned in a dream to run away with baby Jesus to Africa.

This is not the first Biblical Joseph to have a dream. The progenitor of our faith, Joseph of Genesis fame also had a dream that not only changed the direction of his life but changed the course of an emerging nation.

The Joseph in Matthew’s gospel had a dream that compelled him to raise the child in Mary’s womb. In the language of the faith …it is the Immaculate Conception born not of humankind but of the Holy Spirit… the Word of God made flesh that dwelt among us. Joseph’s dream was a call to action to mentor, protect, nurture and support the Christ child.

In Genesis, a young Joseph had a dream of a future that God had in mind, a future in stark contrast to his present reality. There were detours in the road ahead but the abuse of others did not abort the dream. He ended up with a prison record and was paroled into pharaoh's employ. The dream was delayed but not denied.

Listening and responding to the dream that God gave Joseph in Matthews’s gospel as well as in the book of Genesis made all the difference in the world. It made a difference to the lives of their families, in the lives of those who were apart of their community and the expanded community of the people of God.

What are God dreams calling you to do? Are you listening to the dreams God gives you?

Next time God gives you one of those dreams that won’t let you go, a dream that blows your mind or one that imagines a reality that seems impossible…listen, pray and then act. The Bible says whatsoever we bind on earth we bind in heaven and whatsoever we loose on earth is loose in heaven…so we pray those binding and loosing prayers today …because of a dream that won’t let us and because it just might make all the difference in the world.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”Matthew 18: 18 (NIV)

Let us pray:

Lord, I bind whatever hinders the dream of great things to come for me and mine and loose the power of God in my life. In Jesus name, amen.

Praycation 2012 – The Transformed Life

I was glad when they told me it was time to go to church! Beloved, go to corporate worship today with a glad heart not begrudgingly or out of duty. Go expecting signs and wonders to follow the preached word of God!

Later in the day, do catch up on the Praycation messages and prayers. Invite others to the journey. It may make a difference in your marriage, family, parenting, relationships, career or congregation!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount to consider the lilies of the fields. The lily could have been the scarlet anemone whose lavishness was compared to the robes of Solomon. The lily could have been a generic term for the flowers growing abundantly in the fields. They do not spin or toil but are glorious.

The Bible mentions lilies 15 times with 8 of them occurring in the Song of Solomon. These verses indicate that the lily grows in the fields, the valleys, in gardens and among the thorns. Wherever they are planted, they grow.

When we are considering the lily, consider this: They grow in places where there is a lack of resources for optimal survival. The lily stretches its root system deep into places that is cultivated for her to flourish as well as into places where good soil is hard to find. The lily grows abundantly in broad places with plenty of sunshine to enhance its growth and beauty. It also grows in the shadowy places of a valley where fauna, flora and hillside may block the sun. Yet, the lily grows.

What about you, child of God? We may find ourselves planted in places that do not provide the right amount of nourishment or support. We may find ourselves just like the lily down in the valley of despair, depression, disappointment, disillusion, desperation, and devastation. We may be planted in places that have been cultivated to enhance our gifts and skills. We may also find ourselves in places that hinder our growth because of a lack of resources. Our roots struggle to find what it needs to grow or we are in a place that does not appreciate our beauty – beauty of head, heart and mind. Yet, just like the Lily, we can grow.

Consider the Lily today in prayer no matter where you are planted – in the broad spaces of community and congregational life, in cultivated manicured emotional, socio-economic and physical landscapes or buried in valleys unprotected by policy, praxis or legislation – you can still grow!

Repeat after me: It doesn’t matter where I am now; God is able to prosper me to grow and flourish.

“Consider the Lily of he field, and how they grow;”
Matthew 6:28

Let us pray:Lord, help me to bloom where I'm planted! In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

It’s Saturday! ‘nuf said!
Someone needs to read this message today. Send it to them now. Post this message in your social network system on Facebook, Twitter or Digg. Be sure to share your prayer experiences in the comment section.

Enjoy the day. Be sure to be prayed-up and praised-up before going to worship tomorrow.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Good morning to all of the list makers in the world! List makers make lists all the time. They can’t help themselves. Any blank page, paper or surface is in danger of becoming the next list. The lists are everywhere. In the car, on the desk, in their pocket, on a bulletin board or tucked away in their Bible. And, they’d be happy to make a list for you too!

List maker, has this ever happened to you? You make a list, you check it twice and thrice to be sure you have on that list everything you hope to accomplish during the day. You may not get everything done, but at least it is on the list to get done. Somehow after all of your diligent planning and preparation, the infamous list is left at home or heaven forbid it’s lost. You work hard to remember everything you want to get done. At the end of the day, during your evening review you find out that you got everything done except the most important thing.

It is a wise person that sets obtainable goals. It is a wise person who makes plans so as not to waste theirs or anyone else's time or resources. It is a wise person who can anticipate problems and make plans to keep them from becoming crises. It is still a wise person who makes plans and then work the plan. Hug your nearest list maker today!

The writer of Proverbs reminds us today that God is the only one who can make sure that what you plan comes to fruition. Whether you’re a list maker or not today’s Praycation is inviting you to invite God into your goal setting plan making agenda. Prayer is an opportunity to invite God into your plans and be sure that the plans are big enough for God. People plan but God orders our steps!

Beloved pray today before making your plans. Thank God for a new day and a fresh opportunity to plan. Ask God what plans does God have for you, plans not to harm but to prosper you. Ask the Lord for guidance about the things you have on your list. What things must you and only you do. What things should you delegate to others. What things should you delay or put off for another day and where should you push the delete button eliminating that item all together. Got it? It's either do, delegate, delay or delete.

Submit your day to the Lord. It won’t matter how many lists you make or if you leave that list at home. God knows what you need to get done and will give you the energy to handle it.

"People plan their path, but the Lord secures their steps"

Proverbs 16:9

Let us pray:

Lord, plan my work today and empower me to work the plan you have for me, plans that give me a future and a hope. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 –THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Have a blessed weekend. Be sure that your weekend doesn’t become a “weak end”. Get thyself to a place of corporate worship and worship the Lord in spirit and in truth!

If your group, auxiliary, ministry or church is participating in Praycation let me know in the comment section on this site. If you have designated a special Praycation time for prayer at your church for a week, weekend, or this month, let us know how the Lord blessed.

Remember to encourage yourself and all of the list makers in your life today. Send them this message and don't forget the hug!VMM

Thursday, August 23, 2012

We all have our up and down days. Some days are sweet and others are sour. Sometimes things move quickly alone and other times they get bog down in the quick sand of office politics or ecclesiastical minutia. We set goals and make them. We stare down failure and it withers under our faith. We try to get out of stuff we don’t know how we got into in the first place. And…as my young adults would say “It is what it is, so keep it moving!”

A group of professional fishermen in Luke’s who were having a nonproductive day. They had fished all night and caught nothing. The optimum time for fish catching was past so they washed their nets. Jesus comes along and says try again. This time try at the deep end of the pool.

Try again? We’ve all tasted the waters from that well ever since we heard “If you first you don’t succeed try, try, try again.” You have already done your best. The results were nil. The relationship is over. The class is impossible. Students unruly. Class-size too big. Resources low. Co-workers are incorrigible. The boss is a micromanager. Project didn’t work. The strategy failed. The bank account is empty. The harder you try the less you produce. And all you can say Jesus is try again?

Who wants to face challenges that have already proven to be unworthy? Yet, the disciples did try again. They risked failure, disappointment and embarrassment one more time.

The difference is that Jesus told them to try one more time and where to try. Big fish is found in deep waters, not along the shallow shore. Praycation is a way to draw you into the deep places of God’s heart and Word where the Holy Spirit will open to us profound and prophetic truth.

Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you the strength to keep trying, and where to try again. When God says so, it is so! .

“Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.”Luke 5:4

Let us pray:

Lord, empower me to try again and again in the places you want me to try again... today. In Jesus name, amen.

Praycation 2012 - The Transformed Life

Who among us needs to hear the word from Jesus to try again? If it is you, do the steps of Praycation on this message and God's word: Silence, Solitude, Submission, Service and Selah. If it isn't, send this message to someone who needs to hear that they can try again and Jesus will show them where.

Share this message also on your social network sites like Facebook, Twitter or Digg. Subscribe and share your prayer experiences in the comment section.

Schools are opening all over the land. Let's remember to pray for both teachers and students to...try again! Pray prayers of protection over our children, teachers and administrators all year long. Pray also that all will become better partners in preparing the next generation of leaders.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

God has a track record with humanity for doing the miraculous. The seemingly impossible is done. The utterly hopeless situation is turned around. The devastated is restored. The shackled delivered and the diseased healed. Hallelujah!

When we stand before reality and stare into its ugly face we long to hear the stand still and see the salvation of the Lord or the enemy you see today, you will see no more. To be still and allow the Lord to fight for you requires a faith that does not depend upon an outward sign that God is at work on your behalf. This kind of faith doesn’t need to see before it believes. It is a faith that is convinced that God’s promises are genuine and true even before its manifestation.

The Hebrews were between a rock and a hard place newly delivered from a generation of oppression. Their old nemesis changed their minds and pursued them into the desert. The future that seemed so bright a moment ago became tarnished by the reality of Egyptian soldiers and chariots. Faith wavered.

Yet, one among them stood before an impassable sea and heard the voice of the Lord. It was time to move forward. One step of faith into the water led to another. The water divided and a highway opened. The way of victory appeared. The God who got them out of one jam was able to get them out of another. Hallelujah!

Beloved, as you stand today before your own impossible and impassable situations, trust God to open the way for you to move forward. Take those first steps of faith today without a preview of coming attractions. “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14: 14)

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Exodus 14: 13-14 (NIV)

Let us pray:

Lord, today I stand firm before the impossible and impassable while you create the way forward , the pathway of victory. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 –THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

Beloved, if ever you needed to be still it is now. We are so busy trying to get things done we do not give God enough room to work the impossible and the impassable for us. Walk around in Exodus 14 today. Let God’s Word seep deep into the DNA of your faith until you can stand before the impassable seas of your life and still move forward.

Someone you know needs this message. Share it with them today. Share this message throughout your social network systems and invite others to join the Praycation journey!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

In your sanctified imagination, see what it would be like to be following Jesus centuries ago along the dusty roads of Palestine, up the steep inclines to Jerusalem or in the fields while he taught. If you could have ask Jesus one question what would it be? How do you do those miracles? How did you divide the five piece and two fish to feed so many? How were you able to answer your critic’s questions so easily? What was the science behind you walking on water? What button did you push to command the wind and waves? The raising of the dead thing was off the chain Jesus! So, how did you do it?

The Lord’s disciples could have asked him those same questions but they didn’t. They asked Jesus “Teach us to pray”. Jesus pulled together powerfully into one prayer what God desires to do in our lives with the ultimate goal of eternal life and eternity.

Jesus began with to whom our prayer is directed and kingdom concerns. In contract our prayers usually begin with our personal concerns. Lord, bless me and mine. We begin with the issues closest to us and then end with issues facing city, community, country and the world. The Messiah began with the kingdom and then ended with personal concerns of our daily provision, forgiveness and temptations.

Today as we begin the third week of Praycation, pray the prayer the Lord taught His disciples to pray. Pray beginning with kingdom concerns and end with personal interests. Put the things of God ahead of your desires today in prayer. This may be a challenging task for some. Take care of the Lord’s stuff first and the Lord will take care of yours.

“One of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”
Luke 11:1

“This then is how you should pray”
Matthew 6: 9

Let us pray:

Lord, thy kingdom come, thy will be done one earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

PRAYCATION 2012: THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

We are three weeks on the journey. My how time flies! It seems like only yesterday when we started out to prayer the steps of Praycation for 31 days and now there is only ten days left.

You can spend a lifetime of prayer and still not know everything there is about prayer. You can read every book, attend every prayer conference, watch every video produced on prayer and still not know everything there is about prayer. I'm still learning. Prayer is praying. Prayer is changing. To pray is to change and those who refuse to change often do not pray. Every moment in prayer is a lesson. Be encouraged to keep launching into the depths of the kingdom in prayer daily!

Share your thoughts and prayer experiences in the comment section. If you have been on the journey or just starting, remember to invite others to join you. Friends have committed to doing Praycation together. Churches have come together to pray together early in the morning or early evening for 7 days and some during the entire month of August. Others are having prayer conference calls reading the daily Praycation lessons and praying together. Others have opened their churches during the lunch hour for anyone to come and pray. Then there are those who have gotten away by themselves..."snatches of solitude" to read the lessons and pray the prayers.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Boundaries in many cases are a fixed limitation or point. It can be a marked area of a playing field in a game or the emotional and physical space we place between ourselves and other people. A boundary makes a clear separation between property such as a borderline, wall or fence.

Boundaries keep in or keep out. They are the demarcation line in relationships including friendships, marriage, career, colleagues and parenting. The overuse of boundaries can inhibit healthy relationships. The lack of boundaries can lead to negative consequences such as abuse.

Take some time today in prayer to consider the healthy and unhealthy boundaries in your life. Are there any walls that need to be erected or torn down? Do you need to say no to someone who is crossing a personal boundary in an inappropriate way and making you feel uncomfortable? Are there any walls that need to come down to let someone in…including God?!

“May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels."Psalm 122:7(NIV)

Let us pray:

Lord, help me to set appropriate boundaries in my relationship with you and others. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED LIFE.

Beloved we all want to live in such a way that there is peace within walls appropriately placed. We want boundaries or walls that can enhance our relationships and not restrict them. It’s a subject we do not discuss, consider or pray about often. Let’s see what God has to say to us today in prayer.

Remember to follow the steps of Praycation: Silence, Solitude, Submission, Service and Selah. Details are found in the archives on this site on August 1st.

Friday, August 17, 2012

I love mornings. Its not
that I have anything against afternoons, evening or night, it’s just that I
love the beginning, the promise of a new day, the prophetic potential of the
next 24 hours. What a joy to watch potential shake the darkness from her tresses
as possibilities rise above the horizon.Mornings are a good time to plant your seed as the author of
Ecclesiastes suggests in chapter 11 verse 6 – plant your seed in the morning
but keep busy the rest of the day because you do not know which effort will
profit the most.

Mornings are a time to
seek God a quiet start before the intrusion of the challenges of life;
mornings, a moment for the Holy Spirit’s “gentle whisper “ to speak to us
inexpressible tenderness, power and comfort. My Lord, what a morning…just a
moment to renew our minds by the reading of God’s Word and to laugh and dance
with God in praise.

Celebrate the morning!
The Lord has kept you safe throughout the night and has blessed you with a
brand new day. But I have learned something new about the evening.

Many times ancient wisdom
gets tossed aside in our post-modern technical global community. If it doesn’t
have an on or off switch, can’t be attached to the latest gadget or gismo to
enhance our communication capacity or satisfy our insatiable thirst for more
and more, than its kicked to the curb. Gorham D. Abbot wrote in 1833 Rules for
Daily Conduct. We are to make God’s Word the rule by which we act. We do all
things by the power and strength of Christ and do all to the glory of God. In the
evening, review. Love it!

While waiting on
sustenance or as you are careening towards sleep do an Evening Review. Set
aside a moment in the evening for confession, course correction and counsel.
Review the events of the day. Give God the glory and praise for the things that
went well and ask God for advise on the things that did not go well. Thank God
for whatever grace and mercy showed up on your behalf throughout the day. Thank
God for the protection provided you and those you care about. Ask God to help
you discern the meaning of the events that took place or the personalities you
encountered. Let go of any anger before the sun goes down as the Bible
suggests. Confess sins, receive forgiveness and give forgiveness. Desire a
fresh anointing. Ask the Lord to help you be realigned to God’s will for your
life.

Then…Ask the Lord to
grant you rest and not just sleep so that you will be ready to celebrate the
morning when it comes.

Today, plant your seed
early…your ideas, gifts, talents, treasurer, work, projects, love, care and
compassion early…but keep busy because you do not know which act will come to
harvest first. Then, this evening get to a quiet place to do your evening
review. Write down what you have learned. Let the day go and rest.

“And Isaac went out to
meditate in the field at he eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw…”

Genesis 24: 63

Let us pray:

Lord help me start strong,
stay strong and end the day strong with an evening review. In Jesus name, Amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 – THE TRANSFORMED
LIFE

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

How do you prepare yourself for God to do amazing things in your life? We could knock on the door of God’s heart and it will open or we could seek what we want from God in prayer and find it.

When Joshua and the Israelites were at the Jordan River, they had to get ready to possess the promise of God. For 40 years they have been moving towards that promise.

They didn’t sharpen their swords, check their shields or pack their gear. They were told to consecrate themselves. Pay attention to God. Draw closer to God. Be prepared on the inside and outside. Wash yourselves and your clothes because God is getting ready to amazing things…tomorrow.

Our 21st century preparation ought to be similar. Be set apart for the service of God. Seek to bring honor to the name of Jesus Christ. Be identified with God and be not conformed to the pattern of this world. Pay attention. Draw closer. Be prepared inside and out. It is as the hymn writer declared: Take my life and let I be, consecrated Lord to thee.

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you”
Joshua 3:5

Let us pray:

Here I am Lord, consecrate me now to your service and prepare me for the amazing things you will do in my life…tomorrow. In Jesus name, amen.

PRAYCATION 2012 - THE TRANSFORMED LIFE

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SELAH

Stop Here Before Moving Forward

LISTEN, WATCH AND READ

Your Daily Message Center

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

This is the place where you can practice the spiritual discipline of prayer. Use this site as a guide for daily prayer and Scripture reading. You can share your prayer experiences, prayer requests as well as your original prayers at praycation2@gmail.com or in the comment section.

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SCRIPTURE:Read the daily Bible verse. Meditate on God’s Word.SILENCE:Sit or walk without words with an open heart and mind to God.

PRAYER:Connect and consent to the presence of God

LISTEN:When we listen, we learn.

RESPOND:Discover this deeper relationship with God that produces a new vision, direction and destination.

RECORD:Write your experiences in a journal or a notebook so that your soul can look back and wonder.

SHARE:

Share your prayer experiences on the blog. Share your prayer requests so we can pray together. God still answers prayer!

Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 10th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the great state of Texas. Learn more at www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

If you haven't tried reading through the Bible, start now!

AUGUST 2013

11 Corinthians 162 Kings 12-13Micah 3

22 Corinthians 1:1-2:42 Kings 14Micah 4:1-5:1

32 Corinthians 2:5-3:182 Kings 15-16Micah 5:2-15

42 Corinthians 4:1-5:102 Kings 17Micah 6

52 Corinthians 5:11-6:132 Kings 18Micah 7

62 Corinthians 6:14-7:162 Kings 19Nahum 1

72 Corinthians 82 Kings 20-21Nahum 2

82 Corinthians 92 Kings 22:1-23:35Nahum 3

92 Corinthians 102 Kings 23:36-24:20Habakkuk 1

102 Corinthians 112 Kings 25Habakkuk 2

112 Corinthians 121 Chronicles 1-2Habakkuk 3

122 Corinthians 131 Chronicles 3-4Zephaniah 1

13John 1:1-181 Chronicles 5-6Zephaniah 2

14John 1:19-341 Chronicles 7-8Zephaniah 3

15John 1:35-511 Chronicles 9Haggai 1-2

16John 21 Chronicles 10-11Zechariah 1

17John 3:1-211 Chronicles 12Zechariah 2

18John 3:22-361 Chronicles 13-14Zechariah 3

19John 4:1-261 Chronicles 15:1-16:6Zechariah 4

20John 4:27-421 Chronicles 16:7-43Zechariah 5

21John 4:43-541 Chronicles 17Zechariah 6

22John 5:1-181 Chronicles 18-19Zechariah 7

23John 5:19-471 Chronicles 20:1-22:1Zechariah 8

24John 6:1-211 Chronicles 22:2-23:32Zechariah 9

25John 6:22-591 Chronicles 24Zechariah 10

26John 6:60-711 Chronicles 25-26Zechariah 11

27John 7:1-241 Chronicles 27-28Zechariah 12

28John 7:25-521 Chronicles 29Zechariah 13

29John 8:1-202 Chronicles 1:1-2:16Zechariah 14

30John 8:21-472 Chronicles 2:17-5:1Malachi 1:1-2:9

31John 8:48-592 Chronicles 5:2-14Malachi 2:10-16

PRAYER REQUESTS

This week in prayer, place in the hands of God everyone that you love. Leave them there so that your heart is free to seek the Lord without distraction.

Let me know how God answers your prayers in the comment section. Be sure to join this site so that prayers and messages will automatically come to your email inbox.